GETTING THE BEST COOKING RESULTS
To get the best results from your microwave oven, read
and follow the guidelines below.
• Storage Temperature: Foods taken from the freezer
or refrigerator take longer to cook than the same foods
at room temperature. The time for recipes in this book
is based on the normal storage temperature of the
food.
• Size: Small pieces of food cook faster than large ones,
pieces similar in size and shape cook more evenly. For
even cooking, reduce the power when cooking large
pieces of food.
• Natural Moisture: Very moist foods cook more evenly
because microwave energy is attracted to water
molecules.
• Stir foods such as casseroles and vegetables from the
outside to the center to distribute the heat evenly and
speed cooking. Constant stirring is not necessary.
• Turn over foods like pork chops, baking potatoes,
roasts, or whole cauliflower halfway through the cooking
time to expose all sides equally to microwave energy.
• Place delicate areas of foods, such as asparagus tips,
toward the center of the dish.
• Arrange unevenly shaped foods, such as chicken
pieces or salmon steaks, with the thicker, meatier parts
toward the outside of the dish.
• Shield, with Small pieces of aluminum foil, parts of
food that may cook quickly, such as wing tips and leg
ends of poultry.
• Let It Stand: After you remove the food from the
microwave, cover food with foil or casserole lid and let it
stand to finish cooking in the center and avoid
overcooking the outer edges. The length of standing time
depends on the density and surface area of the food.
• Wrapping in waxed paper or paper towel:
Sandwiches and many other foods containing
prebaked bread should be wrapped prior to
microwaving to prevent drying out.
FISH & SHELLFISH
Cooking Fish and Shellfish: General Directions
• Prepare the fish for cooking.
- Completely defrost the fish or shellfish.
- Arrange unevenly shaped pieces with thicker parts
toward the outside of the dish. Arrange shellfish in a
single layer for even cooking.
- The type of cover you use depends on how you cook.
Poached fish needs a microwavable lid or vented
plastic wrap.
- Baked fish, coated fish, or fish in sauce needs to be
covered lightly with waxed paper to keep the coating
crisp and sauce from getting watery.
- Always set the shortest cooking time. Fish is done
when it turns opaque and the thickest part begins to
flake. Shellfish is done when the shell turns from pink
to red and the flesh is opaque and firm.
• The Fish and Shellfish Cooking Table below provides
specific directions with Power Level and Cooking Time
settings for most types of fish and shellfish.
COOKING
36
Fish And Shellfish Cooking Table
FISH
Fish fillets
Fish steaks
Whole fish
Scallops
Shrimp, shelled
HI
HI
7
HI
HI
3
1/2
-4
1/2
minutes
4
1/2
-5
1/2
minutes
4
1/2
-6 minutes
3
1/2
-5 minutes
3
1/2
-5 minutes
Arrange fish in a single layer with thickest portion toward
outside edge of 1
1/2
quart microwavable baking dish.
Brush with melted butter and season, if desired. Cook
covered with vented plastic wrap. Let stand covered
2 minutes. If you are cooking more than 1 lb. of fish, turn the
fish halfway through cooking.
Arrange in a single layer. Prepare as directed above,
except stir instead of turning the shellfish.
POWER
LEVEL
COOKING TIME
DIRECTIONS
